The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube Post Correspondent
ALTHOUGH the search for the 2019 Miss Tourism Zimbabwe is now underway, the reigning Miss Tourism, Tafadzwa Jaricha, who is based in Mutare, is yet to receive her prize money of $10 000 from Zimbabwe Tourism Authority it has emerged.
A Mercedes-Benz C200 and $10 000 were part of Jaricha’s package when she came out tops in the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe national beauty pageant held last year in Bulawayo. She received the Benz courtesy of Dr Mercy Mafara. She also received, together with first and second runners up Natalie Mangodo and Life Mathunzeni who were first and second runners up respectively $1 000 each courtesy of Prophet Walter Magaya.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority is yet to hand over the $10 000 to Jaricha and when contacted for comment, Miss Tourism Zimbabwe pageant national-license holder, Sarah Mpofu-Sibanda last month admitted that she had not received the amount yet saying her package was being processed before referring all questions to Zimbabwe Tourism Authority head of corporate affairs, Godfrey Koti. Koti said he would have to inquire with the organisation’s finance team.
“Let me check with the finance team here at ZTA,” he said.
Efforts by The Manica Post to follow up over the issue proved fruitless as Mr Koti was not answering his phone. Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality permanent secretary, Mr Munyaradzi Munodawafa, said he would find out from ZTA.
Meanwhile, the search for the new Miss Tourism Zimbabwe has commenced with Midlands holding some inaugural auditions this weekend. Mutare will hold its auditions on April 27 under the tutelage of MTZ Manicaland licence holder, Caroline Marufu-Buwu.
This time, Buwu revealed that the auditions would be held in Nyanga. The finals have been scheduled for July 27.
“We have decided to bring the auditions to Nyanga to enable aspiring models from this district and others to have a feel of some tourism sites. There are a lot of events lined up for finalists.
“We will be taking the auditions to different districts in the following years. We are expecting a bigger and better pageant especially if more stakeholders come aboard.
“After last year’s milestone achievement where the province managed to produce two top models in the top three, we are ready to conquer again,” she said.
